WHY JEWS LOVE ATATÜRK
Description: Zelda Natan tells the story of how she got to know her husband. She continues her narration by explaining why she, along with most Turkish Jews, admires Atatürk. She describes various changes he made in order to and modernize the Republic of Turkey.
Cite as: Porké loz ǧudíos kéren a Atatǘrk? – Why Jews love Atatürk; performer: Zelda Natan, camera/ interview: Ioana Nechiti, Deyvi Papo, transcription/ translation: Ioana Nechiti, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number: ladi1251TRV0002a.
BEING A JEW IN THE MILITARY SERVICE
Description: Șeli Natan Gaon describes the experiences of her son’s time in the military service and explains the challenges and the fear he faced as the only Jew in a Turkish/Muslim troupe. Șeli continues by explaining how her son lost a year and a half at university as a result of anti-Semitism. She concludes by telling an anecdote about her husband and how his Muslim colleagues attempted to convert him to Islam.
Cite as: Ser ǧudío en el askerlík – Being a Jew in the military service; Șeli Natan Gaon, camera/ interview: Ioana Nechiti, transcription/ translation: Ioana Nechiti, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number: ladi1251TRV0006a.
THE YOUTH AND THE SPANISH PASSPORT
Description: Șeli Natan Gaon explains the recent interest young people are displaying in learning Spanish in order that they might obtain Spanish citizenship. She describes her daughter’s knowledge of Ladino as well as all the different languages (Turkish, French and Hebrew) spoken within the family setting. Finally, she expresses her love for the Hebrew language and mentions her several of her experiences in Israel.
Cite as: Los mansévos i el pasapórto españól – The youth and the Spanish passport; Șeli Natan Gaon, camera/ interview: Ioana Nechiti, transcription/ translation: Ioana Nechiti, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number: ladi1251TRV0007a.
MY CHILD, BEWARE!
Description: Henri Çiprut explains in this interview fragment that his name used to cause confusion as it is not Turkish. In the past, he used to hide his ethnic identity and not to admit that his name is closely linked with his ethnic background; however, today, he no longer does that. He attributes his behaviour in the past to the warnings of his grandparents: they told him to beware and take care not to be conspicuous when he left the house. He goes on to talk about the events that marked him and his grandparent’s generation regarding the disclosure of their ethnic identity.
Cite as: Páša, Yüzüdéyate! – My child, beware!; performer: Henri Çiprut, camera/ interview: Ioana Aminian, transcription/ translation: Ioana Aminian, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number ladi: 1251TRV0021a.
TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN PEACE
Description: In this second fragment of his interview, Isak Haleva explains what his language preferences are and discusses his use of language, particularly among his friends. Furthermore, he tells us an anecdote about how the Spanish prime minister reacted when he spoke Judeo-Spanish at an official dinner, elaborating on why this diplomatic experience was so peculiar for him. As he continues, he explains how the Jewish community "voluntarily" abandoned Judeo-Spanish as a language used in Synagogues over the course of just a few decades, explaining how both the governmental measures and the community itself has brought into being this fundamental shift in language use.
Cite as: Para pwedéɾ bivír repozádo – To be able to live in peace; performer: Isak Haleva, camera: Ioana Aminian, Deyvi Papo, interview: Ioana Aminian, transcription/ translation: Ioana Aminian, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number: ladi1251TRV0034a.
MY MUSLIM NEIGHBOURS SPOKE JUDEO-SPANISH
Description: In this video fragment, Soli Avigor ruminates on how the Jewish and Muslim communities used language differently while living in the same neighbourhood. According to her, the Muslim women were able to understand and speak Judeo-Spanish well whereas the Jewish women’s knowledge of Turkish remained rudimentary. Soli explains the circumstances of interaction that led to this situation and continues by explaining how people entertained themselves at the time, and how these inspired her in the conceptualisation of her theatre plays. In the last section, she talks about the education her grandmother and her parents received and the customs of their era in which society was generally more receptive to "European" ideas and less closed-minded.
Cite as: Miz vizínas musulmánas avlávan ǧudéo españóɫ – My Muslim neighbours spoke Judeo-Spanish; performer: Soli Avigdor, camera/ interview: Ioana Aminian, transcription/ translation: Ioana Aminian, Deyvi Papo, Imane Sghiouar, editor: Deyvi Papo, retrieved from www.oeaw.ac.at/VLACH, ID-number: ladi1251TRV0046a.